Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Head of Kurdish people-smuggling gang sentenced to 8 years' jail

Tarik Namik, 45, of Oldham near Manchester, northwest England, headed a “sophisticated, lucrative criminal enterprise” bringing Kurdish migrants into the UK hidden in the back of lorries.

Head of Kurdish people-smuggling gang sentenced to 8 years' jail

The convicted ringleader of a "large-scale" Kurdish people-smuggling gang, who is currently on the run, was on Friday sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison, Britain's National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

Tarik Namik, 45, of Oldham near Manchester, northwest England, headed a "sophisticated, lucrative criminal enterprise" bringing Kurdish migrants into the UK hidden in the back of lorries.


Working with people smugglers abroad, the organised crime group is suspected of smuggling at least 1,900 migrants, who were picked up in the Balkans, into France or Germany during a 50-day period.

The gang then offered different means of trying to enter Britain, where the migrants would claim asylum.

Kurdish criminal groups control the increasingly lucrative cross-Channel illegal migration routes using both lorries and, more recently, small boats, according to the NCA.

A surge in the small vessel crossings since 2017 has led to tens of thousands of migrants now arriving annually on England's southeastern coast by boat, rather than stowed away in trucks.

On Friday, AFP saw dozens of migrants, who had made the sea journey despite freezing winter conditions, being brought ashore in Kent by Border Force and lifeboat volunteers.

Stepped-up law enforcement is thought to be among the reasons for the shift from lorries to small boats.

Alongside Namik, four other men -- based in Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent and Nottingham -- also received sentences ranging from nearly five years to 16 months for their role in the criminal scheme.

All five sentenced at Manchester Crown Court had admitted the charges against them at previous hearings.

However, Namik failed to attend court on Friday and was sentenced in his absence, the NCA said.

A warrant has been issued and the agency is "working with partners to secure his immediate arrest", it added.

"The criminal group sought to subvert the UK asylum system for their own financial gain, putting vulnerable migrants -- including young children - at great risk," NCA Branch Commander Richard Harrison said.

The "prolific" enterprise utilised complicit lorry drivers, usually from Turkey, charging around 1,800 euros ($1,900) per migrant - typically from Iraq and Iran -- to traverse mainland Europe.

The smugglers would then offer two separate means of getting to the UK, which would incur extra cost, according to the NCA.

The more expensive option would see individual migrants hidden within a lorry, sometimes within the wind deflector above the cab, and then met by an escort once in Britain.

The other method was to conceal larger numbers of migrants in the back of a truck driven by a complicit haulier. The group would be released once through border controls.

The NCA dismantled Namik's operation in April 2018, when he and two of the others convicted were arrested by officers. Another was arrested in 2019.

(AFP)

More For You

Southport

Floral tributes left by members of the public are seen following the fatal knife attack on three young girls in July in Southport.

Reuters

Public inquiry begins into Southport girls' murders

A PUBLIC inquiry begins on Tuesday into the murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Southport last year.

The inquiry will examine whether the attack could have been prevented and how future incidents might be avoided.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Getty

Starmer is facing a Labour backbench revolt over plans to reform special needs support in schools without guaranteeing existing legal rights. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images)

Starmer faces Labour pushback over SEND reform plans

KEIR STARMER is facing a backlash from Labour MPs over plans to reform special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, after ministers stopped short of guaranteeing legal rights for parents.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the government was committed to reforming the current system, which costs £12 billion a year. However, she did not confirm if legally enforceable rights, such as those provided by education, health and care plans (EHCPs), would remain.

Keep ReadingShow less
Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week

iStock

Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London before 30°C heatwave

Key points

  • Heavy rain and thunderstorms drench London at the start of the week
  • Temperatures set to rise with highs of 31°C expected by Thursday
  • Heatwave could be declared by Friday if warm conditions persist
  • Night-time temperatures to remain high, increasing discomfort
  • UV and pollen levels forecast to be very high across the south

Thunderstorms soak London before summer heat returns

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week as heavy rain and overnight thunderstorms swept through the capital. Monday morning saw widespread downpours, leaving commuters reaching for umbrellas and Wimbledon ticket hopefuls queuing in ponchos.

The unsettled conditions followed a burst of thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon and continued into the early hours of Monday, prompting caution across the city. The Met Office has not issued a formal weather warning for thunderstorms, but conditions remain unstable.

Keep ReadingShow less
National Trust sets vision to heal
nature and engage more Asians

Lisa Nandy, Steve Reed, René Olivieri and Hilary McGrady at a National Trust event marking its 130th anniversary

National Trust sets vision to heal nature and engage more Asians

THE National Trust, which is seeking to broaden its appeal to British Asians, is marking its 130th anniversary with a renewed commitment to restoring nature and widening access under a 10-year strategy.

Its director-general, Hilary McGrady, also aims to inspire more people to get involved in caring for the country’s natural resources.

Keep ReadingShow less
 7/7 bombings

The King said the public should draw on the 'extraordinary courage and compassion' shown in response to the attacks. (Photo credit: X/@RoyalFamily)

Starmer and King Charles pay tribute on 20th anniversary of 7/7 bombings

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer and King Charles on Monday paid tribute to the unity shown in the aftermath of the 7 July bombings in London, as the country marked 20 years since the attacks.

On 7 July 2005, four Islamist extremists carried out suicide bombings at Aldgate Station, Edgware Road, King's Cross and Tavistock Square. The attacks killed 52 people and injured hundreds more.

Keep ReadingShow less